Dust in the Wind
by kbgirl12
Summary: The crew of Serenity has a job, but nothing ever goes smooth. Things get complicated when an unexpected visitor is discovered.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A deep breath. In and out. A gulp of air. In and out. Ishta sighed and unfurled her clenched hands. Her eyes remained closed as she placed her hands on the dusty ground. Ishta took another deep breath and slowly let it out as she opened her eyes. From her kneeling position on the hill, she surveyed the devastation in front of her.

The ground was littered with bodies. Each one was still, with no signs of life. The wooden buildings lining the dirt-packed street where the bodies lay were empty. It was quiet, too quiet. Not even a whisper of a breeze to stir the dirt. Moments earlier the noise had been deafening, but now silence reigned.

There were marks on the ground where the ship had been. It was gone now with no other evidence of its being there.

Ishta used her hands, pushing them into the ground to help her rise. She straightened up and stepped away from the bush that had hidden her. Taking one last look, she turned around and headed northeast. The nearest settlement was a two-day walk from her position. She had no supplies on her, but her best option was to head for the closest town. The town behind her, if it could be called that, had been returned to its ghost-like state.

/\\\/\\\

"Kaylee!" Mal shouted, as he clomped toward the engine room. "Kaylee! What is wrong with my gorram ship?!"

"Everything's shiny, Captain. Nothing to worry about," Kaylee said brightly as she flitted around the engine room. Serenity shuddered. Kaylee dismissed Mal's presence and focused her attention on ensuring that Serenity wouldn't fall out of the sky. The usual turbulence of the ship entering atmo was greater than usual.

Mal left the engine room headed back to the bridge. He kept stumbling on his way there as Serenity rocked and bucked. The ship's hull groaned and screeched. The noise echoed throughout the ship and set everyone on edge. Inara sat at the controls in her shuttle preparing to takeoff. On the bridge, Wash attempted to control Serenity as they approached the planet. It wasn't the worst landing he had piloted, but it was up there. Zoe stood behind him, clutching the back of his seat in order to stay on her feet. The rest of the crew sat in the lounge, holding on and buckled in. They hoped that Serenity wasn't about to crash. After a few more hair-raising moments, Serenity made it through the atmosphere relatively unscathed and settled on the ground. Up on the bridge, Wash let out a deep breath and glanced at Mal and Zoe with a smile. Mal nodded. He left the bridge and let Wash finish the sequence of powering down Serenity.

/\\\/\\\

The cargo bay echoed with the chatter of the crew as they stood together in the middle of the room. Anticipation of completing a job had them in good spirits, and the thought of fresh food and some spending money flitted through most everyone's mind. Mal's footsteps on the stairs near Inara's shuttle quieted the crew and they focused their attention on him.

"Did Inara get off ok?" Kaylee asked. Mal responded with a look and joined his crew.

"Zoe 'n' Jayne, we're meeting our buyer at the market near the square. Let's hope this goes smooth-like. Kaylee and Wash, get what we need for the ship and then get back. You two," Mal looked at River and Simon, "stay here. I don't want no trouble."

River started clapping her hands and throwing them into the air. Then she put her finger to her lips. "Boom! Boom! Shhhhhh." She giggled to herself. She stared at the captain and then giggled again. She spun around and floated out of the cargo bay.

Simon hesitated for a moment and looked at the rest of the crew. He then took off after River.

The crew glanced at each other wondering what cryptic message River was trying to send. Mal cleared his throat and everyone else returned their focus to the work that needed doing. With Mal's signal, Wash opened the cargo bay's door and lowered the ramp. The crew headed out to do their work, while Shepard Book remained behind to help keep an eye on the Tams.

/\\\/\\\

Ishta made it to town. She was tired and dirty, looking for some water and food. A rain barrel behind a building caught her attention. She looked around her, but no one was paying attention. She slipped quietly behind the building and slaked her thirst. The water was stale and gritty, but to Ishta it was sweeter than honey. The sound of voices caught her attention.

"Jayne, what did I tell you about keeping your mouth shut?"

"Aw, come on Mal. He was asking for it."

"At least we managed to get the payment, sir."

"For once, I would like things to go smooth-like."

The thud and scuffle of footsteps accompanied the voices. Ishta peered into the ally were the noises were coming from. Three people held weapons as they crouched and moved backward. Shouting could be heard from a distance and coming nearer. It was indistinct but angry. The three looked towards the shouting. They then turned and jogged toward the back of the ally and to the street running behind the buildings.

A man with brown hair and a brown coat pulled out a radio. "Wash, Kaylee, head back to the ship. Get her prepped to leave. We need a quick exit." Some muttering and complaints came through on the other end, but ultimately acknowledgement of the situation was given.

Ishta's head snapped up. A ship. That's what she needed to get off this forsaken planet. And a ship that knew trouble. It would know how to run and hide. Decision made, she ran swiftly and quietly after the three. She kept to the shadows and called no attention to herself. The trick would be to get onboard without being seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The ramp of Serenity clanged as Zoe and Mal ran into the ship. Jayne covered them, but their pursuers were far enough behind that there was no need to fire their guns. Not that that stopped Jayne. Once they were inside, Jayne followed into the cargo bay and hit the buttons to shut the doors and lift the ramp.

Hearing the commotion, Shepard Book entered the cargo bay and started asking what had gone wrong. Zoe and gave Shepard the brief rundown of events with Jayne piping in his view of went down. Mal radio Wash to let them know they were back. He also gave instructions for Wash to tell Inara about the change in plans.

River and Simon entered the room to see what the ruckus was all about. River cocked her head and smiled, but no one paid her any mind. Simon quickly gave Mal, Jayne and Zoe a once over. There didn't appear to be any need for Simon's services at this time, but he would check on them later to ensure no one was hiding any injuries.

The cargo bay doors and ramp shut with a clang.

"Wash get us out of the world," radioed Mal.

Serenity briefly trembled as the thrusters turned and kicked on. She began to rise from the ground and headed toward the black. Breaking atmo went much smoother than their entry.

/\\\/\\\

Everyone sat around the table chattering away about nothing in particular. Dinner included fresh vegetables, to everyone's enjoyment. Laughter abounded despite the job not going smoothly. The crew had gotten paid, and everyone could breathe a sigh of relief. Serenity would continue to fly.

Inara had been miffed to be recalled so quickly, but fortunately she only had one client. She took it in stride, although not without some mutterings to herself about Mal's propensity for finding trouble. Her client had been sated and she was able to return to Serenity without much ado even though her visit was cut short.

River abruptly rose from the table, quieting everyone's laughter.

"River. What's wrong?" Simon focused his attention on his sister. She stood near the doorway leading to the crew's dorms. A smile lit up her face.

"Boom! Boom! Shhhh." She repeated her words from earlier while giggling again. She flitted up the stairs and headed to the cargo bay. The crew put down their eating utensils and rose to follow her. River's words had them curious and concerned. Jayne lingered a few more moments to steal a few bites of food from Simon's and Kaylee's plates. Then he hurried to join the rest of the crew.

When the crew reached the cargo bay, River was standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes looked up, down and all around as she slowly spun in a circle. Without warning, she stopped. Then she quickly moved to one of the smuggling holds. She crouched down and tapped the panel.

River smiled, "You're it!" She spun away and ran back toward the passenger dorms.

The crew looked bewildered. They had no idea what had triggered River's behavior. Mal turned to Simon and started questioning him. But Simon had no answers. He left to fetch some medicines from the infirmary and find River.

Mal moved towards the panel that River had indicated. Zoe stepped behind the captain to provide back-up if needed. The rest hung back in anticipation.

Removing the panel, Mal looked into the space that should have been empty. The ship currently had no cargo. But the space was filled, and two startled green eyes shone in the darkness. The person inside shrunk back.

/\\\/\\\

"Come out little one. No one's going to hurt you," the man in the brown coat coaxed. He held out his hand, encouraging Ishta to take it. But she hesitated. She didn't know these people. Her plan was to get a ride to somewhere other than where she had been, and away from the Alliance's eyes. She had not factored in being found by the crew.

A Shepard joined the man trying to convince her to come out. Ishta took a look at the Shepard's collar and let out the breath she had been holding. Now that she had been discovered, there really was no use of hiding. She was no longer in control of the situation. And a crew with a Shepard on board couldn't be all bad, right?

Ishta took a few more moments to calm her racing heart and looked at the rest of the crew. Making her decision, she grabbed the man's hand and climbed out of her hiding space. She used him as leverage to stand up. Reaching her full height, she took a step away from the two men and turned to face the crew. Their curious faces took in her bedraggled appearance.

"Sir," said the dark female from the ally. This spurred the man who had helped her out of hiding spot. He turned to the others.

"Inara. Find something clean for the girl and get her something to clean herself up with. Kaylee, put a plate together and take it to the passenger dorms. Shepard, show her to a room. Everyone else, go on with your business."

The man looked over at the crew and shooed them out of the cargo bay. He nodded at the Shepard who took Ishta's arm and led her toward the back of the back of the cargo hold.

/\\\/\\\

Ishta marveled at the quality of clothing that Inara had given her. She glanced around the room she was in, surprised at its cleanliness. When she first caught sight of the ship, she was expecting it to be a bucket of bolts that was barely inhabitable. While the ship was clearly aging, its interior turned out to be as clean as a working ship could be and comfortable. It was no luxury liner, but it was better than she could have hoped for.

On the way to the passenger dorms, the Shepard had introduced himself and given her the captain's name, Captain Malcolm Reynolds. He also pointed out some of the other crew members, and she met Inara and Kaylee when the brought her clothes and food. Kaylee was all smiles and full of reassurance about the captain. Ishta was hesitant to take the girl's word about him. Inara had been polite and comforting, although Ishta struggled to get a read on her.

Sitting on the bed and cleaner than she had been in days, Ishta warily waited for the captain. She knew the captain would have questions, but was loathed to answer them. With her small stature, she toyed with idea of playing the poor, confused and lost innocent just looking for safe place. But she disliked being seen as weak. Too many people took one look at her and dismissed her as a nothing. She excelled at hiding in the shadows and staying on the fringes of society, but it irked her. For once, she wanted to be seen as strong and independent. Her mother's voice sounded in her head, a scolding reminder of where her place was. Ishta sighed, feeling defeated again.

Lost in her thoughts, Ishta was caught off-guard when Captain Reynolds knocked on the doorway frame and entered the room. She looked up, once again startled. The captain stayed by the doorway. He gave her a once over, but nothing showed on his face.

"How'd you get on my ship?" he asked bluntly.

Ishta blinked before responding. She took a deep breath and decided to be truthful. These people had been nothing but kind so far. She still wasn't sure how much she trusted them, but there were some things she could be honest about.

"I followed you from the ally to your ship. You said you needed to get off the planet quickly. I needed to get away from there so I followed you and then crept on the ship when no one was paying attention. I stayed in the shadows and once you had left the cargo bay, found a place to hide."

Ishta glanced down and then looked back up at the captain. She couldn't read his face.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble. I was just gonna hitch a ride to the next planet you landed at and then get off. No one was supposed to know I was here."

"Why us," he asked. "Why not find some ship that was taking passengers."

"When I heard you talking to your crew, I figured you were good at staying away from the Alliance and the authorities. And I have no money to pay for passage."

The captain nodded, his poker face still in place.

"You'll stay in this room. Someone will bring meals to you. You are not to leave this space, dong ma?"

Ishta nodded. At least she wasn't going to be spaced. For now. And regular meals. She didn't know when she last had more than one meal a day, if that. And this room was more spacious than the smuggling hold she found. For her, it was the closest thing to heaven she'd ever had.

As Captain Reynolds left the room, Ishta curled her hand round the object that lay underneath the pillow. No one had searched her. A sigh of relief escaped her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What are we going to do with her, sir?" Zoe questioned the captain.

Once again everyone, aside from the new passenger, was gathered around the table. Stowaways tended to be bad news. The trouble caused by Saffron was forgotten by no one.

"She'll stay in the passenger dorm and be brought her meals. She's not allowed out of her room for any reason, dong ma?" Mal explained.

"Why us?" Wash chimed in. "We weren't the only ship there."

"Said she needed a ship that could stay away from the Alliance and the authorities."

"Well that's reassuring," said in Simon.

River huddled in her chair. Her head hung down and she looked up through her curtain of hair. "Boom. Boom. Shhhh." River whispered. She repeated it louder and abruptly stopped.

Mal looked over at Simon but Simon just shook his head. He had no idea what was going through River's mind. She wasn't making any sense, but the rest of the crew started tensing up at her repeated mantra. No good could come from River's cryptic comments.

/\\\/\\\

The passenger dorm was comfortable, but there was nothing to do. And Ishta needed something to do. Images of dead bodies kept cycling in her mind. There was nothing to distract her from the destruction she had seen, and the violence she witnessed would not leave her.

Ishta rolled from her back to her stomach and buried her head in the pillow. Taking a shuddering breath, she squeezed her eyes tight hoping to keep the tears at bay. She would not cry. But telling herself that didn't stop a handful of tears from escaping. Ishta sat up and wiped them away. Crying never solved anything.

Reaching under the pillow, Ishta grasped the object hidden there. She pulled it out and took a long look at it.

"So little," she whispered to herself.

It was amazing how something so small could cause so much trouble. So many dead because of it. Death and destruction followed it, although only a handful knew its true importance. But Ishta wasn't one of them. She merely knew that it needed to be kept out of the hands of the Alliance. They had gotten close, so close, though they didn't know it. And now here it was, with a slip of girl hiding on a Firefly-class vessel. Ishta returned the object to its hiding spot. Now if only she could figure out where to go from here.

/\\\/\\\

Shepard Book took a moment before deciding to ruin the captain's quiet knowing the captain had retreated to the bridge after another fight with Inara. Book was concerned about their new passenger. But his conscience would allow him no rest until he broached the subject with Mal.

"Mind if I have a seat?" Shepard asked as he entered the bridge. Mal turned in the pilot's seat toward the Shepard and shook his head.

"What's on your mind, Shepard?"

"Last I checked, that girl is not a prisoner. There's no need to keep her completely confined to her room. As long as she's accompanied, why not let her into the common area and dining room?"

Mal gave the Shepard a long look. "I don't need that girl causing any trouble. We've had more'n our share of trouble lately, and I don't need her adding to it. She's running from something, last thing we need is that something to catch up with us."

"Maybe we should get to know her better before we pass judgment on the girl."

"Shepard, you can talk to the girl if you want. But she stays in her room," Mal said with finality.

Shepard Book nodded and rose. There was no use continuing the conversation. The captain's mind was set. But Book would take some time to visit with the girl. There was more to her then met the eye and he was curious. And maybe, just maybe, they'd be able to help her.

/\\\/\\\

It had been Simon's turn to cook again. The food wasn't tasteless, but it wasn't very flavorful either. Shepard Book put together a plate and headed to the passenger dorms.

"The dust swirls but it never settles." River's voice sounded in the passageway, momentarily startling the Shepard. But after a moment he resumed his walk. As he approached the new passenger's door, he noticed River crouched near the door.

River glanced up at the Shepard. "She stopped playing. And now she's lost."

Book heard River but was unsure of her meaning. He nodded and then knocked on the door to announce his presence.

"Come in," a soft voice responded. The Shepard opened the door and handed the plate to Ishta.

"Do mind if I stay? I thought you could use some company."

Ishta shook her head. She sat on the edge of the bed and put the plate down. Paying only slight attention to the Shepard, she began to eat.

Book sat in the corner of the room and let Ishta eat in peace. He waited until she was halfway through before starting a conversation.

"Is the room comfortable enough? We can find you some additional blankets or clothes if you need them."

"I'm fine," Ishta responded.

Book nodded and then inquired, "Do you have any family?"

Ishta shook her head. "Not anymore. Never knew my father and my ma died a few years back. No siblings either. Just me."

The Shepard asked a few more questions. The girl looked tense and he was hoping to get her to relax. He could tell she didn't trust easily. But if the crew was going to help her, she'd need to be able to trust them.

Once Ishta finished eating, Book asked, "Where are you planning to go?"

"Nowhere. Just somewhere that wasn't there."

"What is it that you're running from?"

"Just had to leave."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Mal. You might want to get up here, you're gonna want to see this," Wash's voice called out through the ship's intercom.

Mal closed his eyes. What could be the problem now? So far their new passenger had been behaving and there hadn't been any additional fallout from their last job. Steeling himself, Mal pushed away from the dining room table. He glanced at the lounge where Kaylee, Inara and River sat playing a game. They paused to look his way before resuming their game, chattering amongst themselves.

When Mal reached the bridge, Wash turned with a stricken look on his face. Mal glanced down at the cortex screen. A wanted poster for Ishta graced the screen. The list of crimes shown next to her picture was quite long.

Mal read through the list. His blood turned cold when he got to the end. If half the things on the list were true, his crew could be in for a world of trouble. Everything had been fine so far, but it didn't look like it was going to stay that way for long. Especially not with his luck.

/\\\/\\\

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhggggggggggg."

"Nnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooo!"

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhggggggggggg."

The screams reverberated throughout the ship. Simon set down his instruments and left the infirmary. He ran toward the passenger dorms where the sounds were coming from. His first thought was of River, fearing that she was having another episode. But when he reached the rooms, he realized the noise was coming from Ishta's room.

Simon opened the door and entered into Ishta's room. Book came in behind him, having come from the cargo bay, where he and Jayne had been lifting. The Shepard put his hand on Simon's shoulder to stop him from approaching the girl.

"Allow me," said Book.

Simon nodded and stepped aside. He let the Shepard handle waking the girl. It took several moments of shoulder shaking and calm words to get Ishta to snap to awareness. Her eyes darted around the room before settling on the preacher.

"I…I'm fine. I…it was nothin'," stuttered Ishta.

"Are you sure? You were screaming in your sleep," noted the Shepard.

Ishta nodded. "Won't happen again."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"No," said Ishta as she shook her head.

Ishta took a deep breath and moved to sit up. The movement caused the top she wore to slip off one shoulder. The fine network of scars on her shoulder prompted Simon to move closer.

"Where did you get those scars?" Simon asked.

Ishta glanced at Simon and then back at her shoulder. She sat up straighter and tugged on the material over to cover the scars. Her eyes shifted around the room.

"I don't remember. Had 'em awhile I guess."

Simon's eyes narrowed. He didn't like it when patients lied to him. It tended to make this job harder. Not that the girl was his patient. But the scars intrigued him. They were too precise to have been caused by an accident. And the pink hue to them meant they were relatively recent. Simon opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Book stopped him. The Shepard placed a hand on Simon's arm and quieted him with a look.

/\\\/\\\

The crew gathered once again to talk about their new passenger. All but Mal and Simon sat in the dining room and lounge. Simon and Mal stood as they were too agitated to sit.

"That girl is a world of trouble. Accordin' to the Alliance, she's all kind of dangerous. Seems she likes to leave a trail of dead bodies," Mal reported to the crew.

"Since when do we believe the Alliance?" asked Wash.

"Alliance is lookin' for her. Last thing we need is another fugitive," responded Mal.

"We can't just abandon her. Can't we help her somehow?" questioned Kaylee.

Simon jumped in. "Whoever she is hiding from is dangerous. The scars on her shoulder, they are precise. The person who cut her knew what they were doing. Surgery on the shoulder would not have left those scars. The person who cut her was either trying to hide marks that were previously there or trying to cause pain. And it was done within the last couple of months."

"Shepard, you learn anything?" Mal asked.

Book shook his head. "Not much. She's an orphan with no destination. She's clearly running from something, something that terrifies her. But she refuses to give any details."

"Wash. How much longer to our destination?"

"Since we're trying to avoid Alliance patrols, it'll be another two days."

"Two more days and she's off my boat."

"But captain! We can't just leave her," exclaimed Kaylee.

"We can and will. Dong ma?"

With that, Mal escaped the dining room. He went to his bunk to put his mind to other matters, such as lining up another job. They may have gotten paid, but it would only keep them flying for so long. And really, he wanted to do anything that kept his mind off the girl. Those scared green eyes were beginning to haunt him. She couldn't be more than fifteen, and already in trouble with the law. And Simon's report on the scars she was hiding bothered him. It was all very troubling.

/\\\/\\\

"There were only two ships that left the region during that timeframe. One of those ships was one of ours."

"And the other?"

"A Firefly-class model."

"Can we track it?"

"Yes, and we think we know where it is headed."

"Send a team on ahead. I want it in place before that ship lands."

"On it, sir."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Mal. Mal! I need an answer."

"Ain't got one, 'Nara."

"Mal, I can't be expected to properly carryout my business if I don't know how long we're going to be on the planet."

Mal stopped his walk down the catwalk and turned to Inara. Inara was doing her best not to let her frustration show on her face. But it was difficult. Mal could be so frustrating. Their staring contest lasted until a noise in the cargo bay interrupted them.

They glanced down. Jayne had dropped the barbell heavily back into its support frame. Shepard Book stood behind him, helping spot. The two in the cargo bay were paying the captain and Inara no mind. They had heard this fight before.

Inara and Mal looked back at one another.

"Mal," Inara spoke quietly.

"Ain't promising nothin' but we'll try to give you three days."

"Thank you, Mal."

Mal continued on to his captain-y duties while Inara turned to go to her shuttle. River appeared in her way.

"Loud. It's too loud. Tick, tick, tock. Make is stop."

River curled into herself while looking up at Inara. Then River screamed and clutched her head.

"Tick, tick, tock. Make is stop!"

River screamed again. Inara rushed to her side to catch her as River fell to the ground still clutching her head.

Jayne and Book stopped their workout and looked toward the noise. Inara glanced down into the cargo bay and caught the Shepard's eye.

"Get Simon!" Inara shouted to Book.

Book nodded and ran to find Simon.

/\\\/\\\

River's latest episode put the crew even more on edge. They had a passenger reportedly responsible for multiple deaths and River was spouting unsettling cryptic messages. It was just a matter of time before something happened, and the likelihood of that something being bad was growing by the minute.

The quiet on the ship was disconcerting. And the crew was too anxious to engage in playful pastimes. Even Kaylee had sobered.

Running steps echoed from the passenger dorms.

"Zoe."

Zoe nodded at Mal. They rose and left the dining room where they had been eating. Everyone else stayed in their seats. The quiet in the room intensified.

Mal and Zoe went down the steps and entered the common area near the infirmary. The sounds were now coming from the cargo bay. Walking cautiously, Mal headed toward the noise with Zoe a few steps behind him. At the entrance to the cargo bay, the two stopped.

In the middle of the hold, Ishta sat on her knees clutching her head and shoulder. Her body shook with great sobs.

Mal slowly approached the girl. He walked around her until she was facing him. Zoe stayed several steps behind Ishta to block her from bolting. Mal knelt on one knee to bring himself eye level Ishta. Using gentle motions, he reached out to her.

Mal placed his hand on her arm. Ishta snapped her head up still sobbing. Mal gave her a wary glance, trying to see if she was hiding any weapons.

"It won't stop. Why won't it stop?" Ishta cried.

"What won't stop?"

"Images, noise, all of it! They're dead, they're all dead. That ain't what was supposed to happen. Why did they all die? Why!"

Ishta's sobs had lessened but her body still shook. She kept clutching her shoulder and head.

"Who's dead?" Mal asked trying to get a sense of the situation.

"Everyone. What's so special about it?"

Ishta pulled her hand away from her head. She reached into her blouse and pulled out an object. In her hand sat a small disk.

"How am I supposed to protect it when everyone ends up dead anyhow?"

Mal looked at the disk in Ishta's hand and then back at her face. The agony in her face was heart wrenching, though Mal was trying to stay stoic.

"Is this why you're hidin' from the Alliance?"

Ishta nodded. "I don't know what's on it, just that it's bad, real bad."

Mal glanced up. The rest of the crew had given up on dinner and filtered into the cargo bay. They stood quietly near the door, but heard enough to get the gist of what was going on.

/\\\/\\\

"Can we find out what's on that disk?" Book asked.

"Ain't got the right equipment. Kaylee'll see if she an' Wash can rig somthin' up." Mal responded.

Mal and the Shepard were on the bridge. Mal sat in the pilot's seat while the Shepard stood off to the side.

"Have you decided what you're going to do with girl? You're not just going to leave her on the planet, are you?"

"Can't take in another fugitive, Shepard."

"But you can help her find a safer place to go. You can't leave her wandering around an unknown place."

"Told you, she's not my responsibility."

"Captain. That girl is terrified and has seen too many men killed over that disk."

"Unless you got some bright ideas, preacher, she gets off the ship when we land."

/\\\/\\\

Ishta's body shook. Simon had strapped her to the infirmary bed to keep her from falling off. Pain was etched on her face as Simon probed her shoulder. He could feel a lump underneath the scars.

River sat off to the side muttering to herself and playing with her hands. "Boom. Boom. Shhhhh. Boom. Boom. Shhhhh."

Simon glanced over at River and stopped his exploration. A possible idea formed.

"Captain wants to know if you know what's wrong with the girl." Zoe stepped into the room as she spoke.

Simon turned his focus to Zoe. "Something is embedded in her shoulder. It might be what's causing her pain."

"Captain says to do what you need to do." With that, Zoe left the infirmary.

Simon turned back to the girl and spoke softly. "Ishta."

Slowly, Ishta opened her clenched eyes.

"There's something in your shoulder. Do you know what it might be?" Simon asked.

She shook her head.

"Get it out, please. It hurts, it hurts so much."

Simon nodded and turned to gather his supplies. Once they were gathered and Ishta was properly doped, Simon commenced opening up her shoulder. After some probing and digging, Simon found what had been embedded. He carefully removed the object and began closing Ishta's shoulder.

After Ishta was stabilized, Simone cleaned the object he removed from her shoulder. It was small, no bigger than the size of fingernail. As Simon looked at it, River's words filtered into his mind.

"Tick, tick, tock. Make it stop."

Her mantra had changed again. After hearing River repeat the words a few times, the idea that had formed earlier in Simon's mind became more solid. He looked up at River and then down at Ishta. His glance returned to the object. Abruptly, Simon dropped the object onto the counter and stepped back. He looked back at River and met her eyes. The look she gave him chilled him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Wash, how far out are we?" Mal asked as he entered the bridge.

"Less than a day. Should be there in about eighteen hours." Wash responded while looking over Serenity's controls and settings. Few seconds later, an alarm began to sound.

"Wait a minute. Do you see that?" Wash looked from the screens to the bridge's windows. Mal leaned over Wash's shoulder to see why the alarm sounded.

"Looks like another ship. We expectin' company?"

Wash shook his head. He took Serenity off autopilot and took over the controls.

"Looks like we're being hailed."

"Let's see what they want."

Wash opened communications between the two ships. The man on the other end sneered.

"Firefly vessel. You have something I want. Save yourselves some trouble and hand it over without any fuss."

"Ain't got no idea what you're talking about. Ship's between cargo runs. Nothing aboard aside from crew. You got us confused with someone else."

"You got a girl onboard. She has something that belongs to me. And I'm gonna get it back, one way or another."

"Like I said, we ain't got no one aside from crew on board. We've taken on no passengers."

"Then you won't mind us taking a look around."

"Don't appreciate uninvited folk on my boat. But if you insist, we ain't got nothin' to hide."

Mal tapped Wash on the shoulder and indicated for him to cut communications.

"What are you thinking?" Wash asked as he turned to Mal.

"Got plenty of places to hide folk. Not the first time we've done it."

/\\\/\\\

"What do you have for me, doc?" Mal approached Simon as he stepped outside the infirmary.

"There was a transmitter embedded in her shoulder."

"Could it be used to track her?" Mal asked.

"I believe it was for something else. Why do you ask?"

"A ship hailed us. They think we got her onboard."

Simon thought for a moment. "I'm pretty sure it's not a transmitter used for tracking. If I had to guess, I think it's a relay for something, possibly a detonator."

"What gives you that idea?"

"River's comments. She keeps saying 'Boom. Boom. Shhhhhh.' And 'Tick, tick, tock. Make it stop.'"

"Sounds like the girl's indicating a bomb or some such thing. You think she's referring to Ishta?"

Simon nodded. "We know there are people who aren't afraid to mess with other people's bodies. Someone with the right know-how could have turned her into a bomb."

"Anyway to know for sure?"

"If I could do a scan on her, maybe."

"Ain't got no time for that. Can she be moved?"

"I just did surgery on her shoulder. She needs rest and to be kept stable."

"Ship is about to be crawling with unsavory folk lookin' for her. Need to find a spot for you, your sister and the girl. 'Less you'd rather try your luck with the other crew?"

"Moving her shouldn't be an issue as long as she doesn't tear her stitches."

/\\\/\\\\

Mal and the crew, minus the Tam siblings, stood in the cargo bay. Jayne was up on the catwalk providing cover. When a member of the other ship's crew knocked on the cargo bay door, Mal nodded for Zoe to admit them.

The man from earlier, Mal presumed to be the captain, entered the cargo bay first. Behind him came three other men, each armed to the teeth. The two crews faced off from one another, leaving only a few feet between the groups.

"Search the ship and be on your way. No need to make this messier than it needs to be," Mal told the other crew.

The lead man beckoned one of his crew forward. "Keep an eye on this bunch. Make sure they don't try anything."

With that, the other three started searching the ship. They began in the cargo hold. The men searched high and low, even pulling out the panels hiding the smuggling holds. Once they had thoroughly searched the area, they moved onto the other areas of the ship.

Mal and Zoe continued to look stoically at the man guarding them. Kaylee struggled to stand still. She bounced on her toes and kept looking around. Concern and fear were etched on her face. Wash stood next to Zoe, watching her rather than the other men. Book and Inara stood a little off to the side, calmly watching all that was going on. Occasionally one of them would try to settle Kaylee, but it usually only worked for a moment or two.

The man guarding them kept glancing between the group and Jayne up in the catwalk. Jayne kept looking down with his intimidating grin. Mal periodically looked up at Jayne to ensure that he was doing what he was supposed to and not improvising. Jayne improvising usually meant increased violence.

Screams began echoing into the cargo bay. Mal and Zoe glanced briefly at one another. Zoe looked toward Jayne and nodded. When the man wasn't looking, Jayne pulled out one of his guns.

A few minutes later, the three men who had been searching the ship entered the hold dragging Ishta. Ishta tried to hold her screams in, but was unsuccessful. A red spot was spreading through her clothes. Serenity's crew turned toward the noise.

"Look what we found hiding like the little rat she is. Thought you said there weren't no one but your crew on board, captain."

"No idea who she is. Must be a stowaway. Not a very good one by the looks of it." Mal deadpanned, giving no indication that he recognized Ishta.

Ishta's eyes got even wider. She kept looking back and forth between the men who found her and Mal. She had been struggling against the men holding her but ceased. And now that she was no longer being dragged, her screams turned to whimpers.

"Well then, you mind us taking her with us."

Mal smiled. "Like I said, no need for things to get messy. We'll let you carry on with your business and we'll see to ours. Make this easy-like."

With that, Mal signaled Jayne. Jayne aimed at the man guarding the crew and shot. As Jayne shot, Mal and Zoe pulled out their weapons and began shooting at the other three. The rest of the crew dropped to the floor to get themselves out of the line of fire. Bullets began flying through the air. During the fight, Ishta rolled herself away and huddled near some barrels.

The battle was short. Those on the other crew found themselves on the ground. Two were shot dead and the other two bleeding heavily.

Mal moved to stand over the supposed captain and leaned down. "Like I said, I don't like uninvited guests aboard my boat."

Mal stood up and moved back to his crew. "Zoe. Jayne. Get these men back on their own ship. Wash, get us ready to fly. I want to be gone as soon as these men are off my boat."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Why didn't you hand me over?" Ishta asked. She was back in the infirmary. Simon hovered near her checking her vitals and wound.

"Not how we do business on this ship," Mal responded from his place near the door.

Outside the infirmary stood the rest of the crew, aside from Wash who was on the bridge. Ishta was not part of the crew, but they were still concerned for her well-being. Especially since they had just survived a gun battle because of her.

Mal turned to Simon. "Doc. How's she doing?"

Simon kept his focus on Ishta as he responded. "Very well. Her vitals are stable and I've managed to stem the bleeding. I'm concerned about the amount of blood she's lost and may need one of the crew to donate some blood."

Ishta looked up at the captain. She hesitated before asking, "What's going to happen to me now?"

Mal gave her a long look. And then he glanced out the window to where Shepard Book stood. Book saw his glance through the window and met his gaze. The crew could hear the conversation happening in the infirmary. Turning back to Ishta, Mal spoke.

"We'll find a place to set you down. Somewhere away from the Alliance's eyes and others who might be looking for you. Best we can do."

"Thank you," Ishta whispered. She looked down at her lap. Kindness from strangers was something she wasn't used to.

Once Simon finished with Ishta, he turned to Mal. "I should look at that."

Mal glanced down. "Just a graze. I got it handled."

"Captain…"

Mal didn't allow Simon to finish. He stepped out of the infirmary and headed toward the upper level. The crew hovered around the infirmary for a few minutes and then began dispersing. Inara poked her head into the infirmary to see if anything else was needed. Simon waved her towards his sister. Inara acknowledged him and gathered River. They left and headed to River's bunk.

/\\\/\\\

"Wash. How are we looking?"

Wash shifted his focus from the controls to Mal before responding.

"We were able to lose the other ship and so far there's no sign of anyone else. We're about eight hours out and there's been no new activity on the cortex about the girl."

"We in the clear?" Zoe asked as she entered the bridge. The two men turned towards her.

"Looks like." Wash told his wife.

"I don't like that girl being on board. The sooner she's gone, the better," Zoe addressed Mal.

"Don't much like it either. Not much we can do 'til we set down," the captain responded.

"How much longer?" Zoe asked Wash.

"'Bout eight hours. Should be getting there during the afternoon hours."

"We all best be getting some sleep." Mal looked at Zoe and then Wash before heading to his bunk.

/\\\/\\\

"Is the team in position?"

"Yes, sir."

"When is the Firefly expected to land?"

"A few more hours, sir. Everything is in place."

"Remember, the disk and the girl are our concern. The ship's crew is collateral damage."

"Yes, sir."

/\\\/\\\

Mal had trouble following his own advice. He wandered the decks of Serenity, checking on this and that. As he wandered, he found himself outside Inara's shuttle. He contemplated knocking, but no good would come of that. He was in no mood for a fight. He turned and headed away, his head down.

"Mal." Inara's soft voice broke through the captain's musings. He lifted his head to see Inara in front of him.

"'Nara. Shouldn't you be getting' your beauty sleep? Wouldn't want your clients seeing you tired."

Inara took a deep breath before responding. "I was making some tea. It helps me sleep. I could use it, especially with today's excitement on the ship."

Mal nodded and stepped aside. "Best let you get back to your shuttle."

The Companion hesitated before moving past the captain. She took a few steps toward her shuttle before stopping and turning around.

"Mal. You're doing the right thing. Helping that girl."

Mal stopped and looked back at Inara. "Reckon so. Ain't got much choice now."

/\\\/\\\

Serenity approached the planet. The landing sequence was much smoother this time around with the threat of crash landing minimized.

"Any problems, Wash?"

"No, sir. We are cleared to land and everything's looking shiny."

"That's what I like to hear."

Mal left the bridge to check in with Zoe and Jayne. They were hoping to meet with a contact about a job. The money from the last one wasn't going to last much longer.

River appeared from nowhere, startling the captain. She peered at him, as if she was trying to see beneath his skin.

"They're coming."

"Who's coming, darlin'?"

"They are. They'll turn the mountains to dust. They destroy everything, nothing is safe."

River started getting hysterical. Mal didn't like what he was hearing, but there wasn't anything he could do. He wasn't even sure what River was referring to.

"Simon!" Mal bellowed. He needed the doctor to get River under control. Last thing the crew needed at the moment was the girl losing it.

Simon came up from the infirmary at the captain's yell. He went right to his sister and began trying to calm her down. Taking her by the shoulders, Simon led her away from Mal and down to the passenger dorms.

"That girl has a way of destroying my calm," Jayne said from behind the captain.

"That she does, Jayne that she does."

"We all set sir?" Zoe asked as she approached the two.

Mal nodded. "Should be as long as nobody's double crossin' us."

Serenity rocked a little and thumped slightly as she set down.

"Looks like it's time to see about a job." Mal took off for the cargo bay with Jayne and Zoe behind him. Wash came down from the bridge once Serenity was shut down. Kaylee and the Shepard met them in the cargo bay for the captain's orders. Inara had already taken off in her shuttle.

The usual instructions were given out. Wash and Kaylee were to get supplies. Shepard Book was to keep an eye on the passengers and keep strange folk off the ship. Jayne, Zoe and the captain were off to a meet.

The crew was just leaving the docks when they encountered a group of armed men.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I'm sorry."

Simon looked up from where he sat in the infirmary doing some research. Ishta was pale and shivering on the infirmary bed. Simon got up and found a blanket that had been left in the corner. He covered Ishta with it and checked her vitals before responding.

"What are you sorry for?"

"The trouble I've caused. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Simon looked back at her as he returned to where he had been sitting. "Serenity's crew is no stranger to trouble. It seems trouble has a way of finding them. If not for you, I'm sure there would be something else causing havoc. In fact, I think the captain thrives on the trouble."

Ishta gave Simon a small smile. She looked over to the side where River was. Simon had to sedate River in order to calm her down.

"What's wrong with her? She keeps saying weird stuff and I noticed you had to dope her."

Simon took a deep breath. He took another moment before answering. "Some bad people did things to her brain. They hurt her. I'm trying to help her the best that I can."

"Is she safe from those bad people?"

"For now she is."

Simon returned to his research. Ishta took the hint and tried to go back to sleep.

/\\\/\\\

Mal slowly raised his hands. These run-ins with groups of armed men were getting mighty tiresome. He glanced on either side of him where Zoe and Jayne stood. He nodded for them to do the same No sense in anybody getting jumpy.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Mal asked.

The commander of the group slowly stood from his crouched position. He kept his gun trained on Serenity's crew. He motioned for two of his men to search the crew members and relieve them of their weapons.

Jayne sneered at the man who removed his guns from their holsters. The man quickly patted Jayne down and removed a handful of other weapons, including several knives. Jayne looked back at Mal and let his displeasure be known.

Mal gave Jayne a silencing look. It would do no good to make things worse at the moment. Zoe remained stoic as her weapons were removed. Kaylee and Wash were quickly searched but neither was carrying weapons.

Once the crew was relieved of their weapons, the men searching them stepped back behind their commander.

"You are bound by law for harboring a fugitive."

"I think you've been mistaken," Mal responded. "I've got no passengers on my ship and had only paid crew on board."

"You are the captain of the Firefly that just landed, are you not?" the commander asked.

"I'm captain of a transport ship, and we're here on legitimate business. Headed to see about some cargo. Just my crew and I on that ship."

The commander gave Mal a hard look. "Until we have finished searching the ship, you are bound by law. The fugitive we are seeking is highly dangerous. You will be safer in a detention cell until this is resolved."

Mal stared back at the commander. He was in no position to go against the man. But he had been in worse positions before and was trying to think of a way out of this one. At the moment, no options presented themselves.

Several of the men rounded up the crew of Serenity and led them to a detention facility. The crew was put into a couple of holding cells, but were not processed. Mal looked suspiciously at the men that were guarding them. The lack of proper protocol was both worrisome and hopeful.

/\\\/\\\

Clanging from the cargo bay drew Simon and Shepard Book's attention. They both sat in the common area where they could easily get to River and Ishta. Simon looked over at Book with a puzzled frown.

"Would any of the crew be back this quick?" Simon asked.

"Not unless the meet was very, very short," Book noted. "Stay here, and be ready to move your sister and the girl."

The Shepard got up and stealthily headed for the cargo bay. He wanted to see who was on the ship before announcing his presence.

It took only a glance into the cargo bay to see that it was not the crew returning early. It was clear from the outfits of the men and the way they handled themselves that they were Alliance. Unsure why they were searching the ship while the crew was gone, Book decided it was best to get the Tam siblings and Ishta hidden. His presence could easily be explained, theirs could not.

Shepard Book quickly and quietly returned to the infirmary. He whispered to Simon the situation. The two turned their focus to preparing Ishta and River to be moved. They went over their options. It was likely that these men would be even more thorough then the previous group.

Simon and the Shepard decided that their best option was to get off the ship. There was a hatch that could be accessed without having to go near the men in the cargo bay. With one person injured and the other sedated, it would not be easy. But there was no choice, not if they wanted to protect Ishta and the Tams.

The situation was explained to Ishta. She paled even further after hearing the news. But she was willing to do what she had to, again, to stay hidden from those who would harm her. Ishta could walk, but Simon bound her shoulder and arm tightly since it was likely to get jostled. Simon would aid Ishta if she needed it. Book moved over to River and gathered her up. He was the better option to carry her.

As quietly as the group could, they moved to the hatch. They could hear the men in the cargo bay ripping panels off the walls and other objects being moved around. The men were not being discreet in their search. Before leaving the ship, the Shepard retrieved the disk. He secured it and then returned to carry River up and out of the ship.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Inara silently and inwardly fumed. Mal had a way of ruining everything. She returned to her client with a bright smile and smooth words to finish the appointment. After her client left, she cancelled the rest of her appointments.

Shepard Book had contacted her. He explained about the ship being searched and his and Simon's efforts to protect the fugitives. She agreed to meet with them at a location away from Serenity. From there they could plan their next move.

Inara checked the cortex quickly before leaving to meet Shepard Book and the others. No announcement appeared about the arrest of the crew nor did she find any other indication as to why the ship was being searched while the crew was gone. Inara took a deep breath and piloted the shuttle to the rendezvous spot.

/\\\/\\\

"Sir, so far there is no sign of the girl or the disk. We've searched the entire ship."

"Search it again. Intel is certain this is the right vessel. And send some men to search the outside."

The commander moved to the cargo bay doors and looked out. There was no indication from the team guarding the ship that there had been any movement. They had to find the girl or the disk. Not doing so would damage his career. He couldn't let that happen.

He moved back to survey the work being done. His men had torn the Firefly apart. All the smuggling holds were exposed. Crawl spaces were open and searched. All the rooms had been thoroughly gone through. This was the right ship. He knew it. Now to find them and prove it.

The commander looked up at the catwalks. He glanced to one side and then the other. He called to one of his men and motioned him over.

"How many shuttles does this ship have?"

"Two, sir. But only one is docked."

He dismissed the underling and thought. Taking out his device, he looked up the information they had on the vessel. It appeared there was a registered Companion on board. That could explain the missing shuttle. They needed to find the Companion.

/\\\/\\\

Captain Reynolds flitted his eyes around the holding cell, looking for a way out. So far he had found no options. His crew and he were being guarded closely. Any attempts at conversation with the guards fizzled. A plan, he needed a plan.

Wash's chatter had diminished. After having no one respond to his attempts at talking, not even his wife, he finally gave up. The rest of crew sat quietly. They were contemplating the same thing as the captain, but no one made any progress.

/\\\/\\\

"Do we know were Mal and the rest of the crew are?" Inara asked.

"I believe they are being held. I overheard a comment made by one of the men searching the ship that there was no worry about the crew interfering. The crew was most likely picked up leaving the docks. The Alliance was prepared. It was not long after the captain and the others left that they arrived to search the ship."

The Shepard sighed as he looked at the others. With so few, how were they going to help the rest of the crew?

"Do you think they've been harmed?" Simon asked. He might not always get along with the captain or Jayne, but he did not wish ill on them.

"I don't know, son." Shepard responded.

Ishta and River sat on the couch in Inara's shuttle. River's eyes were focused on something not there, but no one was paying any attention to her. Ishta just stared at the other three, unsure of what she should do. She was the cause for all of this, but she didn't know what to do next.

"Can we find out where they were taken?"

The Shepard, Simon and Inara turned at the sound of Ishta's voice. They looked at one another. Inara and the Shepard became thoughtful.

"I know some of the ranking officials on the planet." Inara said, "I can reach out to them, discreetly of course, and see if they have any knowledge. At the least, I can find out which detention facilities are in the area and if they are being used."

Simon and the Shepard nodded.

"Can you do that from here or will you need to meet them in person?" Simon asked.

"I'll start by contacting them from here. I will need quiet. No need for them to find out that I have others with me."

The two men nodded again. Simon looked over at his sister. The sedative had worn off. River was currently calm, and he could only hope that she would remain that way. He did have some medicines on hand just in case.

Inara moved to the cortex. She ensured that the interior of the shuttle could not be seen by those she was communicating with. Once the shuttle was quiet, she began contacting those that she thought could help.

/\\\/\\\

"Sir. We think we found the Companion's shuttle."

"You think or you know?"

"It's the Companion's shuttle, sir. The registration matches."

The commander nodded and took the information. The shuttle was docked on a different part of the planet. It made sense. The Companion's clients would be from the more affluent areas, and the ship was not docked in one of those areas. It was curious, though, that a Companion would attach oneself to a transport vessel.

Taking in the information, the commander created a plan of action. It was time to pay the Companion a visit.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Inara struggled to keep the frustration off her face. So far she had made little progress. Those she contacted were too interested in her services to be of any help. One had let a hint slip, but she was unsure how useful it would be. She leaned toward the cortex to initiate another contact when a knock sounded.

Startled, Inara shot upright. She was expecting no visitors. The knock sounded again, this time more forcefully. Inara called out to let the person know that she heard the knock.

At the sound of the knock, Simon and the Shepard started to move Ishta and River. Fortunately, the shuttle walls were covered with hanging fabrics. They used these to their advantage to quickly hide. Once Inara saw that they were concealed and quiet, she approached the door.

Inara opened the door and used her body to shield the interior as much as possible. She glanced at the uniform of the man and took in his bearing before addressing him with a smile.

/\\\/\\\

The commander brought his fist up to knock again when the door opened. Before him stood a beautifully dressed woman with dark curls and olive skin. Her hair was a bit mussed and her wardrobe appeared to have been hastily thrown on.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" the Companion asked.

Before responding, the commander attempted to look beyond her into the shuttle, but the Companion used her body to block his view. It looked as if she was with a client or the client had recently left. But appearances could also be deceiving. There were no other vehicles around to indicate someone else was here, but her client could be trying to be discreet.

"I apologize to interrupt you, miss. But I'm afraid we have some questions about the ship that this shuttle is registered to."

"Of course. What is it that you need to know?"

The Companion's straightforward approach caught the commander a bit off guard. He expected her to try and misdirect him. But he was assuming that she was loyal to the captain and crew since she flew with them. It was an assumption he needed to reevaluate.

"Were there any additional passengers or other non-crew members aboard the ship prior to landing?" he asked.

The Companion didn't hesitate before responding. "Not to my knowledge. I typically keep to myself and stay in my shuttle. I have limited interaction with the crew. They can be a bit…uncouth."

"Yet you do fly with them."

"Renting the shuttle allows me to have autonomy and provides a greater base for my client pool. It provides me with a unique platform for my work."

The commander nodded. This Companion wasn't entirely what he had been expecting. But then again, he's not sure quite what he thought the Companion would be like. His knowledge of them was mainly based on rumors and word of mouth.

"Was there any suspicious activity on board that you were aware of?"

"Not to my knowledge. As far as I'm aware, there were no problems getting to our destination and no anticipated reason for there to be any trouble. I usually get a timeframe from the captain as to how long he plans to be docked. He planned to be docked for three days and provided no hint that the duration would be changed."

Questioning the Companion was not helping. Perhaps searching the shuttle would. The commander began to request permission to enter the shuttle when the Companion spoke again.

"I'm afraid I need to cut this short," she said as she looked over her shoulder. "I don't want my client to worry or fear that their privacy has been invaded."

"Of course. We did not mean to interfere with your business."

Before the commander finished speaking, the door shut. He looked to the men behind him. Giving one last look at the shuttle, he turned on his heel. He motioned his men to follow him and left for the vehicles that had brought them here. On his way, he had a thought.

He spoke to a few of his men and left them behind.

/\\\/\\\

Once the footsteps faded away, everyone in the shuttle heaved a sigh of relief. Another crisis adverted.

"Do you think they will be watching the shuttle?" Simon asked.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Inara responded.

"Do you have any ideas?" Shepard asked Inara.

Inara nodded. "Yes. I'm going to contact one of my clients."

"It will need to be someone who can be discreet," the Shepard commented.

"I know of someone who will work," Inara said.

Inara returned to the cortex. She brought up the list of possible clients and selected one. He was available and happy to meet at her shuttle. He would be there in an hour. Inara asked him to bring his vehicle as close to the shuttle door as possible and he agreed.

/\\\/\\\

"Any sign of activity?" the commander asked his men.

"An enclosed hovercar came about an hour after you left, sir. It stopped by the shuttle, but didn't stay long before taking off again."

"Did you see anything?"

"There was one person and a driver when they arrived. It appeared they picked someone up and then left."

The commander digested this information. Either it was a very good ruse or the Companion had been with a client. It was unlikely she could have hidden the girl while entertaining a client. But the disk she could hide. Or the crew could have hidden the disk in the shuttle without her knowledge.

"Is the shuttle still there?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. Actually sir, it's beginning to takeoff. It appears to be headed for the eastern hemisphere."

/\\\/\\\

The Shepard hoped this man could be trusted. Or at the very least knew how to keep his mouth shut. Book sat back into the hovercar's soft seats. Its luxuriousness was something he was unused to.

The man beside him spoke to the driver. They made a slight course adjustment. As they flew into the populated area, Book took a look at the surrounding buildings. They came to a stop in front of an administrative building. Shepard Book thanked the man for the ride and stepped out.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ishta curled up on the couch. The pain in her shoulder throbbed slightly as the medication began to wear off. She shifted her attention from the physical pain to the recent events. Her mind struggled to keep up with everything that had happened. These close calls were getting to her. Her mind warred between wanting to be found already so that the worst would be over versus wanting to stay ahead of the Alliance.

The shuttle swooped. Ishta's stomach fell and she did her best to keep from getting sick. She clutched her stomach and looked over at Simon. Simon's focus was on River. The girl seemed calmer but still not entirely stable. She kept giving Ishta these weird looks, as if she could she inside Ishta's mind.

Simon glanced over at Ishta. "How are you doing? Any pain?"

Ishta put her hand to her shoulder. "I'm ok. The pain isn't too bad, I can barely feel it."

Simon gave her a critical look. He seemed to take in her body position and facial expression. Another look and then he nodded. He focused his attention again on River.

It appeared that they were in for more waiting and sitting around. Despite Ishta's original plan, sitting around was beginning to grate. She wanted to do something. 

/\\\/\\\

Shepard Book walked into the administrative building. He approached the nearest clerk and pulled out his credentials.

"How may I be of service?" asked the overly smiley clerk.

"I need some information."

"In regards to?"

"Where is the nearest detention center located? I was informed that my presence is requested except I was given the wrong coordinates."

The clerk checked for the closest center and pulled up a map with coordinates. He relayed the information to the Shepard and provided directions.

"I have an additional question."

"Yes sir?"

"The Firefly vessel that is docked nearby, what is its status?"

The clerk looked through the docking information for the nearby docks. He did a couple of searches before responding.

"I'm afraid I have no information on a Firefly vessel docked in this region."

"Any unofficial information?" the Shepard asked.

The clerk double checked the Shepard's credentials before doing a second search. After a few more searches and scanning of information, he shook his head.

"Thank you for your assistance." Book smiled and bowed slightly before heading for the exit.

Upon leaving the building, Book checked to see that he was not being followed. He then searched for a quiet spot to contact Inara.

/\\\/\\\

Inara sat quietly as she listened to Shepard Book. The information he had was helpful. They discussed a possible strategy before signing off with each other. After speaking with the Shepard, Inara got up and checked on the others.

Seeing Simon occupied with River, Inara turned her attention to Ishta.

"How are you feeling?"

Ishta suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm fine. Tired of sitting around doing nothing."

Inara smiled. "I understand that feeling. I've had to do that a time or two with this crew. It's not fun."

"No. Besides this is all my fault."

"I can assure you that it's not. You may be involved but it is not all your fault. There are those in positions of power who are much more responsible for what is happening."

Ishta gave Inara a slightly disbelieving look. Inara smiled and gave her a knowing look.

"Aren't you worried about the crew? What if they're being hurt, or worse?" Ishta asked.

Inara gave a small laugh. "It wouldn't be the first time. Trust me, this crew can survive just about anything and already have. They've dealt with worse than Alliance soldiers."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Inara got up and went to her tea supplies. They could all use the calming and settling influence of tea before things began to get crazy again.

/\\\/\\\

Shepard Book stopped a block before the detention center. He settled into the shadows of a nearby building and took a look around. The activity around the building appeared to be normal.

Upon entering the detention center, Shepard Book took in the layout and position of guards and administrator. There were two men guarding a doorway that looked to lead to holding cells. A female sat at a desk where Book presumed processing and paperwork was done. Book focused his attention on the female.

"Hello, I was told that there was a request for a Shepard."

The woman looked Shepard Book over and took in his clothing. She looked down at the information on her screens.

"I was not informed that a Shepard had been requested. I need to see your credentials."

"Of course." Book smiled and pulled out is ident card.

The clerk ran his ident card. She tried to hold back a surprised look at the information that appeared, but did not succeed.

"I'm afraid it may have been a discreet request, which is why you were not informed. May I go back and attend to my duties?" Shepard Book kept his focus on the clerk while pointing to the hallway opening.

The clerk stuttered a few words. Finally, she swallowed and nodded. The woman handed Shepard Book's ident card back and indicated for him to go about his business.

/\\\/\\\

Inara walked boldly through the door of the detention center. She wore an attention-grabbing red sari and her dark curls flowed loosely down her back, accenting her gracefulness. She strolled past the desk, ignoring the clerk. The clerk looked up in surprise and attempted to catch Inara's attention. Inara paid the clerk no attention.

Off to the side was a door leading to an office. Inara went straight for it. She jiggled the handle to see if it was locked. It was. Putting a demure smile on her face, Inara turned to the clerk.

"The commander and I must have miscommunicated. I was quite sure he insisted I meet him here, at his office, at this time, but it appears he is not here."

"I'm afraid the commander is out of the office at this time. He is due back later, shall I let him know you were here?" the clerk asked.

Inara smiled again. "There is no need. I am sure the commander prefers discreetness and would wish no one to know I was here, including you."

The clerk nodded.

"But, I do have something I need to the leave for him. May I leave it in his office?"

Indecision flickered on the clerk's face. Inara kept a pleasant and open look on her face. After a moment, the clerk nodded. She went back to her desk to retrieve the key and then unlocked the door.

Inara went into the office. She closed the door partially behind her, enough to block the other woman's view, but open enough to hear the activity outside. Going to the desk, Inara rifled quickly through the contents to see if there was anything of importance. There was nothing pertaining to Serenity's current predicament. She checked the drawers for extra keys. In the bottom drawer, under a false bottom, was a set of keys. Inara hoped they were duplicates of the keys they needed. Grabbing them, Inara put everything back in place and left the office.

Closing the door behind her, Inara gave the clerk a smile and left the building. She walked a block away and then circled back. Inara pulled off her sari to reveal a darker and less noticeable outfit underneath. Then she grinned.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Mal could hear new voices out past the hallway of the holding cells. One of the voices sounded familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on who it was. The guards by the holding cells continue to stand silently, ignoring the crew. They didn't seem to take notice of the chatter in the other part of the building either.

The voices stopped and footsteps sounded in the hallway leading to the cells. Mal hoped that the person would be bringing good news and not coming to conduct an interrogation. Although the fact that he and his crew had been largely left alone bothered him. No official protocols were being followed, and that was never good.

As the footsteps got closer, the rest of the crew began to perk up. Except for Zoe who stayed near the back of the cell that she was in. She glanced at Mal, but otherwise remained still. Wash and Kaylee got up and moved closer to the doors.

Shepard Book stepped into view addressing the two guards. "I'm here to see the crew that you are currently holding. My presence has been requested."

"No one has been authorized to be back here," one of the guards responded.

"I'm a Shepard and I was informed that a Shepard was needed. I assure you I am authorized to be here. You can check my credentials." The Shepard's voice was hard and commanding.

Book's face gave nothing away. Mal tried to figure out the Shepard's plan of action, but wasn't sure where he was heading with this. The captain looked at his crew and shook his head, trying to indicate for them to show no recognition of the Shepard. No sense in ruining the man's plan, if he had one.

/\\\/\\\

Inara was on her third key trying to find one that would open the back entrance to the detention center. She jiggled the handle, hoping this one would work. It didn't. But the fourth one did. Inara breathed a sigh of relief. She opened the door and slipped into a hallway.

Looking at the doors lining the hallway, Inara checked to see which one most likely held confiscated materials. She chose a door and started trying keys. The second key unlocked the door. Taking a glance inside, Inara saw it wasn't the right one. It held janitorial equipment. Inara tried another door. A quick look at the room showed it was the one she was looking for.

Inara entered the room. She tested the door to see if she'd be locked in if it closed. Seeing that she could get back out, she quietly shut the door behind her. Inara turned on a light and began searching the shelves and drawers. Several rows down held what Inara sought. The crew's weapons and money. Inara gathered Mal's and Zoe's preferred weapons, and a couple of Jayne's items. She slipped the money in her outfit along with a couple of Jayne's knives.

/\\\/\\\

Ishta felt sick. It wasn't her stomach or the pain medication Simon gave her. But her body felt really weird. She couldn't really describe the feeling, but she knew it wasn't good.

River started up her mantra again. "Shhhhhh. Shhhhhhh. Boom." She looked straight at Istha as she said it. Her stare was intense and disconcerting.

Simon kept an eye on River while he checked Ishta's bandages. There wasn't much he could do with River for the time being. She wasn't screeching or attacking anything.

"You're sure I'm ok?" Ishta asked.

"Yes. Your temperature is in the normal range and there is no sign of infection in your shoulder." Simon responded.

Ishta put a hand to her head. She was lying down, but the room was spinning.

"Do you think the Shepard and Inara will be able to find the crew?"

Simon looked at Ishta and sat down beside her. "Yes. Captain Reynolds and his crew have a way of getting out of the trouble they get into."

"I don't want anybody else getting hurt because of me."

Simon smiled grimly. "Do not blame yourself. You are trying to do the right thing, and what you have done is admirable."

/\\\/\\\

Leaving the storage room, Inara listened for activity. Hearing no one in her vicinity, she crept quickly and quietly down the hallway, which led to the holding cells. As she got closer, she could hear the Shepard speaking. It sounded as though he was talking to the crew. Inara rounded the corner and raised an eyebrow. Two guards were unconscious and laying on the ground. She stepped over them and approached the Shepard.

The Shepard finished unlocking the second cell before acknowledging Inara's presence.

"Did you find them?" he asked.

"Yes. I grabbed what I could carry."

Inara turned to the crew and handed Mal, Zoe and Jayne their weapons. Mal gave Inara an appraising look.

"Are you getting tired of me rescuing you?" Inara asked smugly.

"Rescuing me?" Mal scoffed. "I didn't need no rescuing. Had everything under control and right where I wanted them."

Everyone gave Mal a disbelieving look and shook their heads.

"Of course you did, sir." Zoe responded as she walked past Mal to take stock of the situation. She looked at the guards on the ground and gave the Shepard a look of appreciation.

"Are we going to just stand here?" asked Jayne who was clearly itching for some action.

Mal turned to the Shepard and Inara. "We got a plan?"

"Follow me," said Inara.

But before the crew could do so, more footsteps sounded in the hallway.

"I think we better get going if we want to get out of here," Wash said.

The crew began to run in the direction that Inara came from.

"Stop or we will shoot."

They stopped and looked behind them. Three armed men stood with weapons trained on them.

Mal and Zoe stepped between the others and the armed men with their weapons half lowered.

"Put your weapons down and raise your hands above your head," the point man commanded.

Zoe and Mal looked at each other. They began to crouch down with their weapons pointed to the ground. They only crouched halfway done before they brought their guns up and began shooting. The armed men responded by shooting back.

"Get down and move," Mal shouted to the crew. The rest of the crew put their heads down and began running for the back exit. Two more guards appeared in their way. Jayne pulled out his gun and a grenade that Inara had given him. He pulled the pin with his teeth and threw the grenade down the hallway. The crew paused and ducked their heads until the grenade exploded. Then they began running again.

Mal and Zoe ran backwards to cover their retreat. The sounds of multiple weapons being shot were deafening in the cramped hallway. Mal continued to shout at the crew to keep moving. Jayne led the way with the Shepard. They fought their way through the hallway and out the door.

Once outside the building, the crew stuck to the alleyways and back streets. The men pursuing them continued to follow and shoot at them. Inara led the way. She took a zigzag pattern and did some doubling back to help lose their pursuers. Mal and Zoe continued to cover the retreat while Jayne stayed in front with Inara. They managed to put some distance between the men and themselves.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

When they reached the shuttle, Serenity's crew realized there were too many of them.

"Inara, Kaylee, Wash, you three take the shuttle to Serenity. Wash, get Serenity ready to leave. I've had enough of this planet," Mal said to the crew.

"What about you, Zoe and Shepard, capt'n?" Kaylee asked.

"Hey, what about me?" Jayne interjected. Kaylee and the rest of the crew merely gave him a look that was a mix of a glare and exasperation.

"The rest of us will find a way to the ship. We're not far from the docks. Now get going," Mal said as he shooed the others unto the shuttle. Inara gave Mal one last glance before following the other two into the shuttle.

Mal and the others headed in the direction of Serenity. As they jogged, they kept their eyes out for a mode of transportation that could get them to the ship faster. They also watched around themselves for Alliance soldiers or other persons who might do them harm.

"Sir, over there." Zoe pointed to a hovercar that had been left sitting outside a building. The person must have planned to run only a quick errand as the vehicle was not locked down. Looking around them, the four walked to the vehicle. They moved with a purpose to lessen any suspicion. When they reached the hovercar, they saw that they could easily start it.

"Let's move out," Mal said as they climbed in.

/\\\/\\\

"Is everyone OK? Where's the rest of them?" Ishta asked as Wash, Kaylee and Inara entered the shuttle.

With Inara's permission, Wash moved to the pilot's. He got the shuttle ready and took off as Inara went to Ishta.

"Everyone's fine. Just a few scrapes, nothing more. The others are taking a different route to the ship. We needed to split up since the shuttle can't hold everyone."

Ishta nodded her understanding and squeezed her eyes tight. She had been sitting up, but now curled into herself.

Inara placed a hand on her healthy shoulder. "Are you OK?"

Ishta shook her head slightly. She felt dizzy. Her body didn't feel like her own anymore. Simon approached and knelt down by her. He looked at Inara.

"I can't give her anything else at this stage. I'm not sure what's wrong with her. It's not the medicine. Without any proper equipment, I can't make a full diagnosis."

Simon and Inara helped Ishta to lay down. River sat near her, quiet now, but still looking at her intently.

The shuttle gave a little thump as it connected with Serenity. Inara approached Wash and asked if there was any activity around the ship.

"Not that I could see. Looks like they've left. If they're still here, they're were I couldn't see them."

"Kaylee, why don't you and Wash get the ship ready. The rest of us will stay here in case we need to make a quick getaway," Inara suggested.

Kaylee and Wash nodded and left the shuttle. They gingerly walked out onto the catwalks and looked into the cargo bay. There was no sign of anyone. Kaylee headed for the engine room while Wash went to open the cargo bay doors and then went to the bridge.

/\\\/\\\

Zoe flew the hovercar. She went fast, but not so fast as to draw undue attention. The other three kept their eyes searching around them. No bullets or sonic blasts were aimed at them. That was a bit of a change of pace, but also unnerving. As they flew, Shepard took a moment to bandage a graze on his arm. While they escaped relatively unscathed, with as many weapons discharged in the hallway of the detention center, some minor injuries were to be expected. Nothing that the crew or Simon couldn't handle when they got to the ship.

The docks came into view. Zoe skirted around the authority building and headed for Serenity. She stopped the hovercar near a different ship, one that was a bit questionable looking. Leaving the vehicle behind, they jogged to the Serenity, using the other docked ships as cover.

As they came up on Serenity, they found a couple of uniformed men watching her. They were using a different ship to hide behind, and their location would not have been easy to see from the air. The four slowed down as they crept near. Mal looked at Jayne and Zoe. He quietly indicated for them to incapacitate the men.

Jayne and Zoe walked soundlessly up behind the two Alliance soldiers. Before the soldiers could react to their presence, Zoe and Jayne rendered them unconscious with their hands. They then waved Mal and the Shepard to the ship.

The four sprinted the rest of the way to the ship. Once they were in the cargo bay, Mal hit the buttons to close the doors. He radioed up to Wash to get them off the planet.

/\\\/\\\

Everyone gathered in the dining room and lounge. There was still some leftover tension in everyone's bodies despite having left the planet behind.

"We're headed to a place of the Shepard's choosing. He knows a place where we can land with no questions asked. They're also willing to take in Ishta. Shepard says they're good folk with no ties to the Alliance," Mal addressed the group.

"The abbey is known for its discreetness. They don't ask questions and they do not speak of those who live in their walls," Shepard added.

"I'll be safe? The disk will be safe?" Ishta asked quietly. Book nodded.

"Wash, how long 'til we reach our destination?"

"Five days. We're staying away from patrols, shipping lanes, and other ships."

Mal looked at everyone. "Get some rest." He dismissed them and left for his bunk.

/\\\/\\\

The ship was quiet. Simon had fixed up the crew's scrapes and minor injuries from their escape. He now organized and cleaned the infirmary. Inara alternated between watching River and providing Ishta with some company.

Mal moved around the ship doing captain-y things. He occasionally stopped by Ishta's room to check on her, but he usually had little to say. It was clear he still wanted her and the disk off his boat.

The Shepard returned the disk back to Ishta. She grudgingly took it. She'd rather not have it in her possession, but someone needed to safeguard it. It would be unfair to hand that responsibility off to Serenity's crew.

As the end of five days neared, everyone on the ship started to relax a bit. They had not been hailed by any Alliance cruisers. There were no new notices about them or the fugitives on the cortex. Things were being to feel back to normal again.

/\\\/\\\

Mal and Shepard stood with Ishta outside the abbey.

"This is where we leave you," Mal told Ishta.

She nodded and tried to look brave. Inside, her heart was pounding. The dizziness and sick feeling she'd been experience still hadn't gone away.

A Sister stood in the doorway watching the exchange.

"Thank you. For not throwing me out the airlock and not turning me over to the Alliance," Ishta said.

Mal gave her a small smile. "You stay safe, you hear? Don't want all of this for naught."

Ishta grinned. She threw her arms around the captain, startling him. He gave her a brief hug and she stepped back. Ishta went to Shepard and hugged him too. She released him and walked to the Sister. Ishta gave one look back before entering the abbey.

Mal and the Shepard got on the mule and returned to Serenity.

/\\\/\\\

Serenity broke atmo when an explosion occurred below on the planet. River screamed and then went silent.

**Finis**


End file.
